Love means nothing in Tennis
by sickphilosophy
Summary: I thought she was proud of me. I thought she was going to cheer for me. But she didn't. The smile disappeared off her face in an instant. She stood up and walked away from the stand. Oneshot. Please review.


**Hi! First fanfic of this show/manga (I ususally read the manga) I do take constructive critisicm and flames, I'm a strong girl lol, and I need the advice. So thanks for reading and enjoy! By the way I use very seldom japanese cuz i have no idea how to speak it lol.**

**Note: When I first watched the show, I watched it subbing. (the one where they speak japanese with english subtitles) And I read the manga before that. At first I couldn't understand why people said Sakuno Ryuzaki was so annoying... until I saw the english version, and man I can't blame you guys... lol. So anyways, try watching the japanese version or read the book, all of the charactars voices (especially Sakuno's) are easy on the ears and they match the charactars better too. **

POK

THUMP

WHAK

POK

THUMP

WHAK

Besides the distant voices of people and my grunting at every swing, that was all I heard. I was playing tennis in the park, hitting a tennis ball against the wall. It was a Sunday somewhere in May... a very hot Sunday. Beads of sweat were gathering down my chin as I ran left and right.

My name is Ryoma Echizen. 13 years old and in grade 7. Son of Rinko and Nanjiroh Echizen. And I was a tennis prodigy.

Ever since I went to America for the U.S. open and won, I never lost another tennis game again. And I plan to keep it that way...

I stopped hitting the ball and let it bounce pass me. I wiped the sweat off my face and looked up. My stupid, pervertic father broke my watch a few nights ago. So i didn't know what time it was. I looked at where the sun was to check the time. It was right over my head. "Afternoon," I whispered to myself. I looked down to my growling stomach. But I ignored it. I took another tennis ball out of my pocket and hit it against the wall with my racket.

"Ryoma-kun?" I heard a voice say behind me. I turned around to see Sakuno, Coach Ryuzaki's granddaughter. "Hey, Ryuzaki" I grinned, but still swinging the racket.

She was carrying a bag with her. I think she caught me staring at it, because when I did she immediately dropped it on the floor, unzipped it and took out a grape flavored ponta. "Ano.. nomitakunai, Ryoma-kun?" She stammered and handed it to me. With my eyes still on the ball, I tilted my head towards the bench, where three other empty pontas were sitting there. Sakuno sighed and placed the ponta next to the others and sat on the bench beside them.

For a good 20 minutes she watched me as I hit the ball back and forth in silence. When I left for America I kind of missed seeing Sakuno. Her voice, her clumsiness, her ditzy smile that always appeared when she enjoyed something, When I came home she asked me on a date and eventually, I accepted.

Sakuno had been my girlfriend since then.

I looked at the corner of my eye and saw Sakuno, her eyes on me just watching as I moved around. Ususally when she watched me play tennis she was standing straight up with her face in amazement. But today she was slouching. Her auburn hair was resting all the way down her back and laying on the bench, and her elbows resting on her knees. She didn't take her eyes off me, as usual, but she wasn't impressed, or awed, if fact, she was looking at me the same way she would look at a blank wall.

"Ano, Ryoma-kun?" She asked after a couple of miinutes.

"mm?" I asked in my nonchalant voice.

"Would you like to take a walk with me around the park right now?"

"Not now, Ryuzaki."

But maybe, Ryoma-kun, we could go to the movies to see a fil- "

"Someday, Saa-chan. But right now.. grunt" I said as I hit the ball.

Sakuno said something after that, I couldn't hear it because she said it so soft, but it was something like...

_"Ryoma-kun no baka."_

We stayed in silence for a while. Fine with me. More time for me to think about my tennis. She stared at me with her unusually blank stare until, she stood up. "Ryoma-kun I need to have a word with you." She clutched the hem of her skirt and looked down.

"Wait, Saa-chan"

"But, Ryoma-kun, it's about..." She started to whimper

"I'm almost done Ryu-"

"I'm done, Echizen."

I stopped hitting the ball and faced her. "Great," I said. "See you tomorrow then."

I was about to start practicing again until she continued.

"No, Ryoma. I mean I'm done with you."

"What are you talking about?" I said laughing as if she were joking, but I knew what she meant. Sakuno sighed clutched the hem of her dress tighter, still not looking at me. "Ryoma-kun, I know why you only date me. Because I'm just a set of yours, I stand there and look pretty watching you play tennis, as if I were something you'd buy at a tennis store. I can't go with you if you won't feel the same way."

"Ryuzaki, I'm not-"

"That's another thing, Ryoma-kun. You still call me Ryuzaki as if I was one of those people you just see. The only time you call me Saa-Chan is to calm me down...to think that you love me...Echizen... I can't do this"

Why was she doing this? She had the Tennis Prodigy in her hands and she's complaining?

"All this time I've known you, Ryoma-kun, I was intimidated by you. Scared to talk to you. But, why should I be...when...you don't talk to me either? Ryoma-kun, did you even say you loved me before? "

This time, Sakuno was looking right at me. Her eyes against mine. She was winning.

I looked at Sakuno. She was so beautiful. I did love her...didn't I?

We stayed in silence for a few minutes. The park suddenly felt so empty, so quiet and dark. Like a room with nothing in it, not even a window. The only thing the room held was me...and Sakuno...

Sakuno then walked closer to me. Then closer, still in silence. She looked right at my eyes with the strongest look I have ever seen her give. And then, suddenly...she collapsed her body into mine, with her head buried in my chest and her arms around my body.

"I love you, Ryoma-kun...I love you so much...But you don't love me, do you?" she mumbled through my chest. My body stiffened when she hugged me. And I couldn't go back too my too cool to care body gesture. There was me, as nervous as possible with a girl.

Sakuno then looked right at my me and asked with a pleading face. "Can you even say that you love me? Or is it that one thing that the Prodigy can't do?"

She waited for me to say something. I could tell that she wanted with all her might to hear me say that I loved her. But my mouth couldn't form words. A minute after awkward silence, she let go of me and backed away, still looking at my face. "I get it," she said "Go play your tennis, Prodigy." She walked away after then.When I figured out what she was doing. I called after her,

"Sakuno..I-I...I love you."

She turned around and smiled at me. She then closed her eyes and said. "It's not that you don't love me, Echizen. It's the fact that you can't. You can't love me and tennis at the same time. You can't love tennis more than me. You can't focus on tennis more than me. Especially when in tennis... love.. means nothing. I'll see you tomorrow at school, Ryoma-kun."

She then walked away for good. She must have felt good from then on.

I didn't call her back here.

I didn't run up to her and told her she was wrong.

I didn't say sorry.

So what did I do?

I played more tennis.

* * *

At school, during class, I kept on glancing at Sakuno. Sometimes I caught her eye and she smiled at me. Why was she acting like nothing happened? And what did she mean by love means nothing in tennis. 

Once I got into the tennis courts girls started coming up to me. "OMGOSH RYOMA-SAMA I HEARD THAT YOU'RE SINGLE AGAIN OMGOSH WANNA GO ON A DATE WITH ME" One, really annoying girl said to me. All the girls toppled over eachother trying to get a better view of themselves. Before I dated Ryuzaki, this happened to me everyday. I didn't miss it. Although having girls doing anything to date you sounds cool, it's really not.

"ECHIZENNNN!" shouted a really ruff voice from behind me. I turned arund and saw Momo-Chan Sempai, with flames all around him and his angry face, following him was Fuji-Sempai, Kawamura-Sempai, and Inui Sempai. They were trying to hold him down. "Echizen! WHAT THE HECK DID YOU DO TO THAT RYUZAKI GIRL! THE GODS OF DATING LET YOU MESS UP ONCE BUT NOW, OH WELL NOW YOU'RE GONNA BE PUNISHED BY ME!"

Sempai-Tachi tried to hold him down, but he struggled himself out and ran up to me. He grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and lifted me off the ground. "Momo, stop it" I struggled.

"ARE YOU KIDDING, ECHIZEN! I TOLD YOU NOT TO TREAT A GIRL THAT WAY! YOU'RE A SICK BOY, THATS WHAT YOU ARE!"

Inui took his data book out. "So this is what Momo is angry for. Hmm. You broke up with Ryuzaki Sensei's grandaughter." Inui start jotting stuff down his notebook.

Fuji just smiled as usual. "Momo, put Echizen down." Momo took a deep breath and placed me firmly on the ground.

I adjusted my cap and said my usual, "Mada Mada Dane."

"Momo, don't worry. Sakuno doesn't seem sad. They still must be friends. Even though Ryoma possibly broke her heart so deep that it will never heal and the sweet and serenity girl will change as we know it." I just looked at Kawamura. He kept on smiling until Fuji put a racket in his hand. "ECHIZEN!" Kawamura Sempai shouted. I ran back to the other tennis court where it was safe.

One of the 8th graders asked to practice tennis with me. I agreed and we got ready in our positions. As I was about to serve. I heard that loud and screechy little voice. "Ryoma-Sama! Ryoma-Sama! Over here! Over here!" There was Tomoka. The most annoying fan of mine on the planet. Of course I was courteous and didn't say anything. Again, I was about to throw the ball into the air until I heard another voice. This time, it was one I wanted to hear.

"Tomo-Chan, be quiet. He's in the middle of a game."

I turned my neck quickly to see the only, Sakuno Ryuzaki. She smiled at me again and sat at a nearby bench with Tomoka. Why did she want to watch me play? Maybe we weren't together, but she was still my fan. I smiled...on the inside of course. This was the time to win her back. In my best form, I gave my twist serve. I landed back down and checked my racket, making sure I looked good for Sakuno to see. I could see that Sakuno smiled in the corner of my eye. I felt good. Wanting to confirm my score, I shouted. "15-Love!"

I thought she was so proud of me. I thought that Sakuno was going to cheer for me. But she didn't. The smile disappeared from her face in an instant. She stood up and walked away from the stand. It was then that I understood what she meant the other day.

15-Love.

It means 15 to nothing.

_**In tennis, love means nothing.**_

I lost my first game that day.

* * *

**Yay I finished! I don't know if this is a one shot or a chapter. I'll decide. Tell if you want it to go on or not. And if you want it to go on...please give ideas lol. I do take flames and criticism. I'm not the best writer in the world and I'm one of those unlucky people without raw talent so I have to start from scratch. So criticism is well appreciated. Aww... poor echizen. lol cya! **

**love**

**Sabrienne (Suh-Breen) or (Say-Bree-Enn)  
I wanted you guys to know how my name is pronounced or else people call me Sub-ryan or Suhbreenee or something. lol**

**Cheers!**


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